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Surrealist Art

SURREALIST STYLE

In the wake of World War I’s ravaging of Europe, artists delved into the unconscious mind to confront and grapple with this reality. Poet and critic André Breton, a leader of the Surrealist movement who authored the 1924 Surrealist Manifesto, called this approach “a violent reaction against the impoverishment and sterility of thought processes that resulted from centuries of rationalism.” Surrealist art emerged in the 1920s with dreamlike and uncanny imagery guided by a variety of techniques such as automatic drawing, which can be likened to a stream of consciousness, to channel psychological experiences.

Although Surrealism was a groundbreaking approach for European art, its practitioners were inspired by Indigenous art and ancient mysticism for reenvisioning how sculptures, paintings, prints, performance art and more could respond to the unsettled world around them.

Surrealist artists were also informed by the Dada movement, which originated in 1916 Zurich and embraced absurdity over the logic that had propelled modernity into violence. Some of the Surrealists had witnessed this firsthand, such as Max Ernst, who served in the trenches during World War I, and Salvador Dalí, whose otherworldly paintings and other work responded to the dawning civil war in Spain.

Other key artists associated with the revolutionary art and literary movement included Man Ray, Joan Miró, René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, Frida Kahlo and Meret Oppenheim, all of whom had a distinct perspective on reimagining reality and freeing the unconscious mind from the conventions and restrictions of rational thought. Pablo Picasso showed some of his works in “La Peinture Surréaliste” — the first collective exhibition of Surrealist painting — which opened at Paris’s Galerie Pierre in November of 1925. (Although Magritte is best known as one of the visual Surrealist movement’s most talented practitioners, his famous 1943 painting, The Fifth Season, can be interpreted as a formal break from Surrealism.)

The outbreak of World War II led many in the movement to flee Europe for the Americas, further spreading Surrealism abroad. Generations of modern and contemporary artists were subsequently influenced by the richly symbolic and unearthly imagery of Surrealism, from Joseph Cornell to Arshile Gorky.

Find a collection of original Surrealist paintings, sculptures, prints and multiples and more art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Surrealist
Midnight on the Water- original surrealism landscape painting - contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Midnight on the Water and How It Used to Be" by George Callaghan is a captivating exploration of a mystical nocturnal landscape, where the boundaries...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Protect Your Heart” Photography 36" x 28" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff
Located in Culver City, CA
“Protect Your Heart” Photography 36" x 28" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff Giclee (Archival Ink) Print on Canson Platine Fibre Rag From the "Aequinoctium" series Brian Ziff is...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée

Dubuffet, Personnages II, XXe Siècle (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Original Edition Lithograph on wove paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Excellent Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, XXe Siècle, vol. no. 6, 1956. Publ...
Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

CLIFF-HANGER Signed Mini Lithograph, Surreal Landscape Seashell, Waterfall Ledge
Located in Union City, NJ
CLIFF-HANGER is a hand drawn limited edition lithograph by the American surrealist artist Fanny Brennan, created using traditional hand lithography techniques printed on archival Arc...
Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Flute Player - Lithograph - After PABLO PICASSO
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
After PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973) Flute Player Dimensions: 56 x 38 cm Signed and dated in the plate Posthumous edition by Edition Succession Picasso, Paris. Editions de la Paix Picas...
Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

20th Century Surrealist Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Hoddesdon, GB
20th century modernist oil painting on canvas . Signed with artists monogram and Dated 1991. This large and impressive painting evokes a range of emotions and interpretations. With...
Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

LA, Venice Beach - Watercolor Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor

The Summer in LA - Watercolor Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor

Salvador Dali - Girl on Rhinoceros Horn
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - Girl on Rhinoceros Horn - Original Etching Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm Edition: 390 1967 On Rives Vellum Signed in the plate References : Fi...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Divine Comedy Hell Canto 31
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Divine Comedy Hell Canto 31 MEDIUM: Woodblock SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: 18/150 MEASUREMENTS: 9" x 13.5" CONDITION: Excellent. REFERE...
Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Pax Romana
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pax Romana (1967), 2024. Giclée print on Hahnemühle paper with archival ink, 16 x 24 in. (40.6 x 61 cm.). Edition: 3 with two APs, signed and numbered.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Giclée

Down to the Lake - original surrealism landscape painting - contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Down to the Lake" by George Callaghan transports viewers to a serene countryside scene, where the boundary between reality and dreamscape blurs in a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Divine Comedy Purgatory Canto 6
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Divine Comedy Purgatory Canto 6 MEDIUM: Woodblock SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: 50/150 MEASUREMENTS: 9" x 13.5" FRAME: No CONDITION: Excell...
Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

BIG HORN Signed Lithograph, Surreal Mini Landscape, French Horn, Rocky Shore
Located in Union City, NJ
BIG HORN is a hand drawn limited edition lithograph by the American surrealist artist Fanny Brennan, created using traditional hand lithography techniques printed on archival Arches ...
Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Divine Comedy Heaven Canto 8
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Divine Comedy Heaven Canto 8 MEDIUM: Woodblock SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: 70/150 MEASUREMENTS: 9" x 13.5" FRAME: Yes CONDITION: Excellen...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Ancient Stock Route - original surrealism landscape painting - contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Ancient Stock Route" by George Callaghan is a mesmerizing journey through a dreamlike realm, where reality merges with imagination in a captivating d...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Abraham Lincoln: Gala Gazing at the Mediterranean Sea - Lithograph
Located in Paris, FR
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) (after) Abraham Lincoln: Gala Gazing at the Mediterranean Sea, 1996 Printografie (photolithography) in limited edition authorized by the Dali Foundation Si...
Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

French Neo-Romantic Surrealist Painting "Circus" by Kristians Tonny
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Kristians Tonny (French, born Holland; 1907-1977) Circus Oil on prepared board, 16 1/2 x 13 inches Framed: 22 x 19 inches (approx.) Inscribed on reverse: (in pencil) "cadre noir/ave...
Category

1920s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Centaurs signed #2/20 Paula Craioveanu Photograph 20x16in in mat 28x20in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
UNDER THE SKIN 5 Surreal Nude, part of my "Under the Skin" series. Printed on Hahnemuhle art photo paper with white borders, size is 20x16in. In mat overall size 28x20in. This par...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Surrealist Gouache on Paper.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Watercolour and gouache on paper painting titled 'Siamese Slaves' by British artist Derek Carruthers, signed to the bottom right and to the reverse and dated 2008 and titled. A colo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

Untitled - 1968 Watercolor & Pencil - Three Surrealist Figures - Surrealism
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Dorothea Tanning Untitled 11 x 10 inches Signed & dated lower right Framed A 1968 watercolor & pencil depicting three surrealist figures. PROVENANCE: Merz Kunsthandlung (Sprengler...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

Surrealist Gouache, 'Kerouac, Orlovsky and Burroughs, The Beat Generation'
Located in Cotignac, FR
A late 20th century watercolour and gouache on paper by British artist Derek Carruthers. Signed to the bottom right. Carruthers at one period in his painting became quite interested...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Pencil, Watercolor, Crayon, Paper

Guardians signed #2/20 Paula Craioveanu Photograph 20x16in in mat 28x20in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
UNDER THE SKIN 5 Surreal Nude, part of my "Under the Skin" series. Printed on Hahnemuhle art photo paper with white borders, size is 20x16in. In mat overall size 28x20in. This par...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Paysage avec figures-soleil from sun, from Neuf Paysages
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: Paysage avec figures-soleil from sun Portfolio: Neuf Paysages Medium: Etching Year: 1980 Edition: 62/80 Sheet Size: 19 7/8" x 19 1/2" Image Size: 15" x 1...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Ernst, Composition, Cahiers d'Art (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Original Edition Lithograph on wove paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Excellent Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Cahiers d'Art, vol. 2...
Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

The High St - original surrealism landscape cityscape painting- contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"The High St" by George Callaghan beckons viewers into a bustling thoroughfare teeming with life and energy. Unlike some of George's other tranquil la...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Eduardo Naranjo Spanish Artist Original Hand Signed engraving 1984 n3
Located in Miami, FL
Eduardo Naranjo (Spain, 1944) 'Creación VI', 1984 engraving on paper 20.9 x 15 in. (53 x 38 cm.) Edition of 225 ID: NAR1115-003-225 Hand-signed by author
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving, Screen, Paper

Untitled - Lithograph by J. Hérold - 1974
Located in Roma, IT
Untitled is an artwork realized by Jacques Hérold in 1974. Original colored lithograph. Good conditions. Printed by Mourlot , France. This lithograph was realized  by the artist i...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled - Lithograph by Wifredo Lam - 1974
Located in Roma, IT
Untitled  is a lithograph realized by the Cuban Surrealist artist Wifredo Lam (1902-1982). This is a color lithograph on wove paper, properly edited...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled (Portrait of Roberta Kimmel Cohn)
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Untitled (Portrait of Roberta Kimmel Cohn) Silver gelatin print on photographic paper c. 1981 Signed with the photographer's hand stamp verso From a presentation portfolio given the ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Surrealist Very Large Late 20th Century Oil on Canvas. 'The Temple'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Very large Late 20th century surrealist oil on canvas by British artist Derek Carruthers. The painting is signed to the bottom right. An imposing and highly colourful painting of co...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Désert fabuleux from dahlia, from Neuf Paysages
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: Désert fabuleux from dahlia Portfolio: Neuf Paysages Medium: Etching Year: 1980 Edition: 63/80 Sheet Size: 19 7/8" x 19 1/2" Image Size: 15" x 15" Signat...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Surrealist Large Painting Royal College of Art LGBTQ+ Female Birds Eating Men
Located in Norfolk, GB
Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences while a surreal narrative take...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paint, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen

3 Dimensional Sculptural Surrealist Acrylic on Board. 'Swimfest'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th century acrylic on plywood board sculptural painting by British artist Derek Carruthers. The work is not signed but was acquired along with a collection of the artist’s wor...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Board

Surrealist Oil Painting By Fernand Carette, 20th Century
Located in Hoddesdon, GB
Fernand Carette 1921- 2005 Futuristic surrealist landscape . oil painting by Belgian artist Carette painted during the 1960s while he was working with the Phases group . 64cm x 49cm ...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Celestial Cloudscape-original realism surreal seascape-ocean-cloudscape painting
Located in London, Chelsea
Anna Geerdes' "Celestial Cloudscape II" invites viewers into a realm where the boundaries between sky and sea blur into a mesmerizing dreamscape. This original seascape painting capt...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

"Semaphore IV" by David Hostetler
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Bronze, patinaed 68″h x 12″w x 11″d on bronze base An elegant sculpture for a garden, office or home. She is part of the dream inspired sculptures in which the aspects of femininit...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Bronze

Surrealist Gouache and Watercolour on Paper, 'Sunday School Ghosts'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Surrealist watercolour and gouache on handmade paper by British artist Derek Carruthers. Signed bottom right and signed, dated and titled 'Sunday School Ghosts' to the reverse. A wo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Gouache, Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Salvador Dali - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Original Handsigned Etching
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Original Handsigned Etching Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm 1967 Signed in pencil EA in Sanguine Jean Sc...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Djinn- Original contemporary surrealistic seascape landscape painting-modern art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Djinn" by Hallie Packard is an original seascape painting that transports viewers into a dreamlike realm where reality blends with fantasy. With bold colors and imaginative imagery,...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Creation of Eve
Located in London, GB
Original Colour lithograph on vellum hand-signed and numbered by the artist edition of 1000 49 x 48 cm from the portfolio 'Del calendario 5 artistes catalans' catalogue raisonée: M...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Queen Iseult and Her Daughter, from Tristan and Iseult
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: Queen Iseult and Her Daughter Portfolio: Tristan and Iseult Medium: Color engraving Year: 1970 Edition: 60/125 Frame Size: 25 1/4" x 20 3/4" Sheet Size: ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving

Dalí­, Caligula, Les Chevaux de Dali (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph in Colors on vélin d'Arches paper. Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; unframed. Notes: From the folio, Les Chevaux de Dali. Publ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Salvador Dali - Biblia Sacra - Lithograph
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - The Biblia Sacra was published in 1969 by Rizzoli of Rome - SIGNATURE : printed in the image - Edition : 1499 - SIZE : 19 x 13 3/4" - RE...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Breathing Pneumatic Armchair (Michler/Löpsinger 82; Field 75-11E), Salvador Dali
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Title: Breathing Pneumatic Armchair (Michler/Löpsinger 82; Field 75-11E), Imagination & Objects of the Future Portfolio Year: 1975 Medium: Drypoint,...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Mixed Media, Lithograph, Drypoint

"The Sun" original lithograph
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Published in Paris in 1938 by Teriade for the second issue of the art revue Verve (Volume 1, Number 2). Andre Masson was invited to contribute an origina...
Category

1930s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Dalí­, Le Chevalier Chrétien, Les Chevaux de Dali (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph in Colors on vélin d'Arches paper. Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; unframed. Notes: From the folio, Les Chevaux de Dali. Publ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Salvador Dali - Biblia Sacra - Offset Lithograph
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - The Biblia Sacra was published in 1969 by Rizzoli of Rome - SIGNATURE : printed in the image - LIMITED : 1499 - SIZE : 19 x 13 3/4" - REFERENCES : Michler and Lopsi...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Surrealist Painting on Paper, 'Godot', Artefacts of Civilisations Lost
Located in Cotignac, FR
A late 20th century watercolour, gouache and acrylic on paper by British artist Derek Carruthers. Signed to the bottom right and dated 1985 and titled, 'Godot' to the reverse. A ch...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache

THE LADY DULCINEA
Located in Aventura, FL
From Historia de Don Quichotte de la Mancha. Etching and aquatint on Japon paper. Edition AP 23/50. Sheet size 29.875 x 22.125 inches. Image Size 15.75 x 17.5 inches. Frame size ap...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Etching, Aquatint

"I Love You Anna" Photography 31" x 47" inch Edition of 3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"I Love You Anna" Photography 31" x 47" inch Edition of 3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Av...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Dali Divina Comedia engraving painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Work of the Spanish artist SALVADOR DALI. Engraving of the series LA DIVIDA COMEDIA 4/100 SIGNED IN PENCIL DALÍ, Salvador (Figueras, Gerona, 1904-1989). During its early years, Dal...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving

1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - 'Pansy Presence' Fantasy Abstract
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting. Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Salvador Dalí, Beatrice Comforts the Poet (M/L.1039-1138; F.189-200)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Suite: Göttliche Komödie (The Divine Comedy) Year: 1974 Medium: Wood engraving in colors on BFK Rives wove paper tipped to Arches paper mounts Inscr...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving

COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA(Jack of Swords) Signed Lithograph on Japon Paper, Red
Located in Union City, NJ
COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA(Jack of Swords) Medium: Lithograph on Japon paper, signed in pencil Print size: 29.5 x 21 Year published: 1979 Edition: I-C (100 Roman Numeral) Japon Publi...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Dalí­, Cheval de Troie, Les Chevaux de Dali (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph in Colors on vélin d'Arches paper. Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; unframed. Notes: From the folio, Les Chevaux de Dali. Publ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

“Water Melon” surrealist painting of fruit on real food tray
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Ackrill presents to us his humor in "Water Melon." A juicy slice floats gently upon a surreal body of water, beneath a blue sky. The scene rests within a food tray, which makes us wo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Metal

Dalí­, Saint-Georges, Les Chevaux de Dali (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph in Colors on vélin d'Arches paper. Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; unframed. Notes: From the folio, Les Chevaux de Dali. Publ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Surrealist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Leonor Fini. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Lithograph and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Surrealist art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1 and tops out at $1,450,000, while the average work sells for $1,426.

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